Process of and apparatus for rolling glass



' v 1,622,040 March 22, E. 5 E MARE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR ROLLING GLASS Filed Feb. 23. 1924 fizz/em 6Q2i 711M 61 W WW' Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

ERNEST BRISTOWLE MARE, OF

BROTHERS LIMITED, ST. HELENS,

srnELENs, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR To PILKINGTON LANCASTER, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY.

rnocnss or AND APPAnArus non ROLLING GLAss.

Application filed February 23, 1924, Serial No. 694,708, and in Great Britain March 2, i923.

This invention relates to apparatus for v rolling a strip of glass from molten glass issuing from a tank'or other source, and has for its object to provide an improved const-ruction of apparatus whereby the resultant glass is of better quality and more free from defects than has been that heretofore produced by known apparatus of the same type.

According ,to this invention, the molten l0 glass flows along a chute or other conduit and forms a pool of molten metal in the approach to the pass of a rolling apparatus, that is to say, in the V-shaped space bounded by the two members of the rolling apparatus.

The strip of glass issuing from the pass. of the rolling apparatus, passes over a flat stationary bed and then into a lehr where itis supported on rollers which are turned at a peripheral speed slightly in excess of the speed at which the strip issues from the pass,

so that the strip is subjected to a small trac tive effort from its point of issue from the ass.

p In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 2 is a vertical section of the ing part of the lehr and partly broken way,

and Figure 2 is a part plan view showing a portion of the mouth of the chute and the rolling apparatus. j

Referring to the drawings, molten glass 1 1 in a tank of which 4 is thefront wall, issues through an opening 2 provided with gate 3 into a chute 5 to form a pool 6 in the approach to'the pass of the rolling apparatus constituted by the two rollers 7 and 8, which latter, for-convenience, are'hereim after termed .pass rollers.

The chute 5- is provided with side walls 9, one of which only, is shown in Figure 2, and a crown 10 into which latter, at its upper front portion, heating gases are introducedby blow pipes 11. The crown 10 has an inner curved portion 12 by which the heating gases are deflected downwards on to the stream of glass in the chute, and, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, pass along the stream issuing from the mouth of the chute. These heating gases are for the purpose of heatingthe chute 5'and crown 10 at the start of the process, and-are'not generally required when the process has reached normal working conditions.

The sides 9 of the chute 5 are, however, preferably heated during the normal workingof the apparatus, and for this purpose 18. The stationary apparatus, includ-- rollers 18.

they are formed with passages 13 into which gases are introduced, by-blow pipes 11.

Alternatively, the inner sides of the chute 5 and the glass close to them, may be heated by gasesfrom blow pipes so located as to directthe gases on to those sides and the glass adjacent thereto.

A slab 14 of fireclay or the like, is supported-by a chain and balance weight 21 at the mouth of the chute 5, in such manner as to admit of it being adjusted in guides 22. The slab 14 may be in contact with the pool 6 and then trolling the arc of contact between it and the pass roller 7.

The glass strip 15 issues from the pass of the rollers 7, 8 and passes. on to a stationary bed 16, 23, and from this into the lehr 17 1n which the strip is supported on rollers bed, in the constructional form shown in the drawings, comprises a has the function of concurved portion 23' over which the glass passes on leaving the pass rollers 7, 8, as well as-a flat portion 16 which supports the glass between the said curved portion and the lehr 17. For convenience of description of the arrangement illustrated, the two pore tions 16, 23 are hereinafter referred to as separate beds, 16 as a flat bed, and 23as a curved bed.

The. rollers 18 are rotated at a peripheral speed which is slightly in excess of the speed at which the strip issues from the rolling apparatus, so that the strip is subjected to a small tractive efi'ortfrom its point of issue from the The said tractive effort is suflicient to draw the strip over the fiat bed 16 and also to draw it in a curvefrom the ing apparatus on to the said bed. The curved bed 23 is interposed between the lower roller8 and the adjacent end of the fiat bed 16, and may be integral with the latter, but is and formed of metal, and water-cooled.

In normal working, the tractive effort on the strip 15 is sufficient to keep the latter just clear of the'curved bed 23 as shown in Figure 1, but this bed serves to support the strip at. the start of the process and also durpass rollers 7 8 up to the pass of the roll-I preferably independent thereofv The length of the flat bed 16 and the cool- 1 ing to which the strip is subjected while passing over it, are of great importance to the working of the apparatus.

These two factors, which are to some extent interdependent, are so determined or.

regulated that the strip, on leaving the flat bed 16, has become set, that is to say, has become'sufliciently solidified on its surfaces to resist-deformation when passing over the rollers 18, even though the interior of the strip may still be plastic.-

The purpose of the flatbed 16 is to enable the strip to assume a'flat form by reason of its own Weight, andfor this reason the back end of this bed is located. as close as is conveniently possible to the rolling apparatus, so that the strip is as plastic as possible while on the bed, and the said bed is. of such a total length that the strip has time toassume a flat form before it passes off therefrom.

It will beeunderstood that the flat bed 16 can serve this purpose only so long as the.

strip 15 remains'sutficiently plastic and that therefore the length which can usefully be desired extent. Heating gases may be intro:

duced into the hood 19, if it be found neces- .sary still further to retard the rate of cooling of the strip.

The source from which molten glass is supplled to the rolling apparatus may be a melt 'ing tank, or a refining chamber or fore-- hearth; all such'sources of moltenv glass are intended to be included in the word tank as used in this specification andclaims.

The chute -5 is; preferably of such length that the rolling appartus maybe situated at a convenient distance from the walls of the tank, but the said chute may be replaced by a short horizontal conduit or even a slot in the respective wall of the tank.

The rolling apparatus consistspreferab'ly m a pair of rollers of which, as shown in the drawings, the upperone (7) is in-ad- Vance of the lower (8), so that that part of the surface of the roller 8 on which the pool 6 is formed, may have a downward inclination towards the pass. The two rollers may,

' however, be vertically one above the other and then the strip may issue horizontally from the ass and the curved bed 23 be omitted. have their axes in the same horizontal plane.

The roller 8 which forms thelower surface o the strip is preferably of larger die ameter than is t e other roller, and may be.

in a

r, again, the'two rollers 7, 8,-'may replaced by a chain table of any known construction.

The flat bed 16 maybe inclined downwards in the direction of travel of the glass, but

such inclination must not be sufiicient appre-- ciably to diminish the effect of the weight of the strip in-making that strip assume .a flat form.

One or more rollers in the lehr 17, (such as the roller 24) may rest on the upper surface of the strip above one or more of the rollers 18 forming the bed.

It is to be understood that the words drawn and drawing as used in this specification and claims are not employed in the technical sense indicative of the formation of the strip by drawing, although the tract-ive effort on the strip passing over the bed may result in a slight stretching of said strip.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Process for producing a continuous strip of glass'in which molten glass is rolled into a strip which is propelled by tractive force applied to the strip only after it has set and the strip is supported before it has set in a flat and approximately horizontal "position.

2. Process for producing a continuous strip ofglass in which molten glass issuing from a tank to form a pool, is rolled into a strip which is propelled by tractive force applied to the strip only after ithas set and the strip, while. still plastic, is supported in a fiat and approximately horizontal position.

3, Process as inclaim 1, in which the strip 'is plastic while supported in a flat and approximately horizontal position for a .sufiizontal and isdeflected into an approximately horizontal and flat position by tractive force applied to the strip only after it has set, the strip being supported before it has set in the flat and approximately horizontal position.

\ 6. Process for producing a continuous strip of glass in which moltenglassissuing from a tank tr form a pool, is-rolled lnto a strip which issues from the rolling apparatus direction inclined to the horizontal and is deflected into an approximately horizontal and flat osition by tractive force applied to the strlp only after it has set, the strip being supported in the flat and approximatelyhorizontal position while still plastic.

7. Process as in claim 6 in which the edges of the pool are maintained hotter central portion. v

8. Process for producing a continuous strip of glass in which molten glass is rolled into a strip which is propelled by tractive force applied to the strip only after it has set, the strip being supported-before it has than the A set in a flat and approximately horizontal position and the loss of heat from the strip while in-the said position being controlled so that the strip is 'setonly just before the point where the tractive force is applied.

- in the said position being controlled so that the stripi s set only just before the pointwhere the tractive force is applied.

10. Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass, comrisin in combination a rollin a aratus',

a flat and approximately horizontal bed of such length that the strip is set before reaching the end of the bed remote from the rolling apparatus,'means acting on a part of the strip which has set and adapted to apply tractive force to the length of strip ex-. tending from the said means to the rolling apparatus and to draw the strip continuously over the bed.

prising in combination, a tank, a rolling apparatus, a conduit to lead the glass from the tank to the rolling apparatus, a flat and approximately horizontal bed of such length that the strip ,is set before reaching the end of the bed remote from the rolling apparatus, means acting on a part of the strip which has set .and adapted to apply tractive force to the length of-strip extending from the said means to the rolling apparatus and to draw the-strip continuously over the bed. v

12.' Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass, com prising in combination, a rolling apparatus, a .flat and approximately horizontal bed located so close to the rolling apparatus that the strip is plastic while on the bed, and of such length that the strip is set before reaching the end of the bed remote from the rolling apparatus, means acting on a part of the strip which has set and adapted to apply tractive force to the length ofstrip extending from the said means to the rolling apparatus and to draw the strip continuously over the bed.

13. Apparatus for'producing a continuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass,

comprising in combination, a tank, a rolling apparatus, a conduit to lead the glass from the tank to the rolling apparatus, a fiat and approximately horizontal bed located so close to the rolling apparatus that the strip is plastic while on the bed, and of such.

length that the strip is set before reaching the end of the bed remote from the roll,- ing apparatus, means acting on a part of the strip which has set and adapted to apply tractive force to the length of the strip ex-' tending from the said means to the rolling apparatus and to draw the strip continuously over the bed.

14. Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass, comprising in combination, a rolling apparatus, a stationary bed consisting of a curved portion followed by a flat and. approximately horizontal portion of such length that the strip is set before reaching the end of the bed remote from the rolling apparatus, means actingon a part of the strip which has set and adapted to apply tracti've force to the length of strip extending from the said means to the rolling apparatus and to draw the strip continuously over the bed.

15. Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass, comprisingin combination, a tank, a rolling apparatus, a conduit to. lead the glass from the tank to the rolling apparatus, a station ary bed consisting of a curved portion followed by a flat and approximately horizon-- L tal portion of such length that the strip is 11. Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass, comset before reaching the end of the bed remote from the rolling apparatus, means acting on a part of the strip which has set and adapted to apply tractive force to the length of strip extending from the said means to the rolling apparatus and to draw the strip continuously over the bedf 16. Apparatus for producing acontinuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass, comprising in combination, a rolling apparatus, a stationary bed consisting of a curved p rtion followed by a flat and approximately horizontal portion, the latter portion being located so close to the rollingapparatus that the strip is plastic while on the bed, and of such length that the strip is set before reaching the end of the bed remote from the rolling apparatus, means acting on a part of the strip which has set and adapted to apply 'tractive force tothe length of strip extending from the said means to the tinuously over the bed.

17. Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by'rolling molten glass, com} prising in combination, a tank, a rolling aprolling apparatus and to draw the strip con-- paratus, a stationary bed consisting of a curved portion followed by a flat and approximately horizontal portion, the latter portion'being located so close to the rolling Ill) apparatus-that the strip is plastic while on the. bed, and of such length that the strip is set before reaching the end of thebed remote from the rolling apparatus, means acting on apart of the strip which has set and adapted to applytractive force to the length of strip extending from the said means to the rolling apparatus and to draw the strip continuously over the bed.

18.. Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass, comprising in combination, a tank, a rolling apparatus, a concluit'for bringing molten glass from the tank to the rolling apparatus, passages in the side walls of said conduit, means supplying heat in the said passages, a flat and approximately horizontal stationary bed and means adapted to draw the strip continuously over the bed.

19. Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by rollmg molten glass, comprising in combination, a tank, a rolling apparatus, a conduit for bringing molten glass from the tank to the rolling apparatus, passages in the side walls of said conduit, means supplying heat in thesaid passages, a stationary bed consisting of a curved-portion followed by a fiat and approximately hor zontal portion, so long that the strip is set before reaching the end of the bed remote from th rolling apparatus and means adapted to draw the strip continuously over the fiat portion of the bed and keep it normally out of contact with the curved portion thereof.

20. Apparatus for producing a continuous strip of glass by rolling molten glass, comprising in combination, a tank, a rolling apparatus, a conduit for bringing molten glass from the tank 'to'the rolling apparatus, passages in the side walls of said conduit, means supplying heat in the said passages, a stationary bed consisting of a curved portion followed by a fiat and approximately horizontal portion, the said flat; portion being located so close to"! he rolling apparatus that the strip is plastic while on it and so long that the strip is set before reaching the end of the bed remote from the rolling apparatus, and means adapted to draw the strip continuously over the flat portion of the bed and keep it normally out of contact with the curved portion thereof.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature hereto.

ERNEST BRISTOW LE MARE. 

